No fooling Sally in Sunday races

THE popular Southport 4 Mile races promoted by Southport Waterloo have traditionally been held on Good Friday.

This year, the Victoria Park venue was not available on that date; hence, the April Fool’s Races were born, at least for this year, on the replacement date of April 1.

The change of date shows just how popular Good Friday is for this meeting as race director Norman Marshall reported numbers were well down on previous years.

The race probably also lost a few elite runners as the date clashed with the North of England 6-stage and 12-stage road relays in Sunderland; although Southport Waterloo didn't enter a team in that event.

With times on average a few seconds down on last year, it looks as if the easterly wind did have an effect on the runners.

In the 3 km Fun Run, there were 147 finishers, the smallest field since 2002.

Local runner Chris Hesketh of the Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton club won this race in a fast time of 10 mins 9 secs. Joshua Robertson of Blackburn was second in 11:13 and Wirral AC's Naomi Alleyne was first female and third overall in 11:20. Katie Reynolds of East Cheshire Harriers was second female in 12:02. 11 year-old Sally Wareing was Southport Waterloo's first finisher; 12th overall, fourth (and youngest) girl, in 12:29. Patricia Irizar was next, 17th overall in 12:52, with Liam McAdam 19th in 12:56, Graham Boreham 21st in 12:58, Gary Lee Clark 23rd in 13:07 and Thomas Clarehugh 28th in 13:20.

The fun run was boosted by more than 30 finishers from St John's School, Crossens, where ex-Southport Waterloo runner Daniel Hains had encouraged his youngsters to take part, some very successfully.

Daniel led by example, running and finishing in 12:42, although one of his young charges, Stuart Dorman, was eighth overall in 12:16. Well done to all the runners!

Fifteen Southport Waterloo runners were among the 115 finishers in the Women's 4 Mile Race, a big fall from last year's 207. The race was impressively won by the Club's Amanda Crook, well clear for most of the race and finishing in 24:01. Kirsty Longley of Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton was second in 25:06 and Jane Clarke third in 25:15. Southport Waterloo's Sue Cooper was fourth in 25:53, taking a top six prize rather than the L50 category. 16-year old Steph James had her first outing over this distance and took the under-20 prize, finishing 12th in 28:11, despite a hard training session at Formby Point on the previous day. Vicky Harvey was 13th in 28:12, Karen Faloon 16th in 28:52 and then another of our under-17 middle distance runners, Abi Bridgeman, was 19th in 29:50.

Other Club finishers were Carole James, 21st in 30:09; Chris Cutner 23rd in 30:32; Michelle Mercer 30th in 31:42; and Sharon Pardoe 34th in 32:04. In her first race, Niz Bowker will be pleased with 41st place in an excellent 33:24. Sandra Waters was 43rd in 33:41, Sheila Marshall 62nd and first L60 in 35:24, Gina Bellhouse 71st in 37:04 and Debra Vis 109th in 43:40.

The Men's 4 Mile Race of 149 finishers, aged between 15-year old Chorley Harrier Mark Yates and over 80 Geoff Perkins of Northern Vets, was well won by Rob Berry, leading almost from the gun. His time of 19:51 was a little down on his winning time of 19:29 last year but that seemed par for the course in the chilly wind. Sale Harrier Rick Hayman was second in 20:11 and Southport Waterloo's Steve Wilkinson third in 21:16. David Hamilton was seventh in 22:08, Richard Cary 14th in 23:01, Rick Bowker 16th and first Vet 45 in 23:06 and John Sprackland, 18th in 23:13.

That's six top 20 positions for Southport Waterloo in the men's race. An excellent result! And indeed the club had seven sub-25 minute runs with Peter Roome coming home 23rd in 23:56. Club President Steve James was just outside 25 minutes finishing 31st in 25:07, taking the Vet 65 prize.